1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a machine for distributing ballast in a track bed, which comprises a machine frame extending in a longitudinal direction and supported on the track by undercarriages for mobility in an operating direction, a ballast plow adjustably mounted on the machine frame for distributing the ballast in the track bed, drive means for adjusting the ballast plow relative to the machine frame, and a control for the drive means. It is also directed to a method for distributing ballast in the track bed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A machine of this type has been described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,018, and comprises a ballast plow which includes a center plowshare positioned above the track ties and shoulder plowshares in the area of the track shoulders and extending laterally from the center plowshare. Such ballast planing machines are used to provide properly ballasted track beds meeting regulations. If any track section requires additional ballast for proper ballasting, such additional ballast is conveyed thereto from a ballast storage bin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,189 discloses a track tamper whose track tamping tools may be laterally pivoted out of the way of obstacles, particularly in track switches. A plurality of sensors are arranged in a transverse row ahead of the tamper, and this sensing arrangement controls the drives for vertically adjusting and laterally pivoting the tamping tools. When the sensing arrangement detects an obstacle, the drives are actuated to move a respective tamping tool out of the way of the obstacle. In this way, all the other tamping tools of the tamping head may continue to be operated to tamp the ballast while the tamping tool or tamping tools encountering the obstacle have been moved out of the way. Suitable position indicators register the prevailing positions of the tamping tools.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,705,772 and 4,179,216, as well as EP 0 487 465 A1 disclose machines running on a track for sensing the boundary of a space surrounding the track.